Much respect for early (relatively) electronic communication ingenuity.

I think folks should grab a look at this 'just because'... Just because of the effort it took for something we mostly took for granted not too long after this was filmed.

I remember up until the 1970's 'swapping crystals' on two way radios. I can only imagine the method they mention in the end about the 'new process' had to have been well in play at that time as a new crystal was maybe 10 dollars today's money.. Whole new channel.. Heck, they used to sell CB's you had to buy the crystals you wanted for the channel you wanted.. This film gives a whole new appreciation for crystal making in the earlier days of radio. I found it fascinating myself.

I found it quite interesting to see how these components were manufactured. I used to buy crystals for amateur radio use. I even think early CB radios used them.. Also an interesting glimpse into women at work in wartime..

Not for everyone, but if you like production technology...

As someone who grew up teaching himself electronics using surplus World War 2 components, seeing these crystals manufactured was like re-uniting with friends from my childhood.

I once moved a crystal for ham radio a little in frequency using Babo and water on a piece of glass. Seeing the precision with which it should have been done was fascinating.

I thought this movie was well worth the time spent watching; always nice to find some history of technology showing up on Prelinger Archives.

This movie is about how to make crystals ready to be put into radios for crystal clear frequency. The movie, for yes, 40 MINUTES, meticulously, step by step, shows the 40,000 different things crystals go through before being put into a radio. It's actually not that boring, because I love assembly line movies, and thankfully, the movie is more mechanical than technical about such things (it doesn't really go into the chemistry of what makes a crystal tick, it just assumes you know). So yes, testing! Cleaning! Cutting! Cleaning! Cutting! Testing! On and on it goes. Rather dangerous looking machines.. where are the guards? There's a surprisingly large number of women in this film too, working. Some are way too overdressed for work, and look to be wearing their sunday finest to appear in this film. Do you REALLY need your hat on to operate the oscillascope dearie? My, what blood red nails you have... Finally, the narrator continues a rare trend not seen since "An Alchemist In Hollywood" (Hey, I remember these things).. You can hear the narrator quite loudly turning the pages in the script!
Not really worth 40... 40! Minutes of your time, but still interesting if you wanna have a go.

Another of the fascinating films contained in the Prelinger Collection of the industrial processes required to produce a product---in this case,
frequency crystals for use in military aircraft radios. What I always find remarkable in these films is the complexity of the processes and tools
and equipment required. You realize what effort is needed to conceive the methods, design and test the tools and equipment and test the product to assure uniform quality. Films such as these are a tribute to man's ingenuity. Highly recommended!